Australian Birds hi the Collection of the Linnean Society, 173 



partially remodelling the terms of his nomenclature, that v e 

 conceive ourselves strictly to derive our principles from him. 

 We are willing^ to 2,0 even so much further as to assert that 

 those naturalists, who in the present advanced state of sci- 

 ence would have us bind ourselves exclusively to his nomen- 

 clature, virtually run counter to the spirit of his precepts. Had 

 he left us only what he called his " System," this fact might 

 not appear so evident. But he has left us what is even of more 

 value, if possible, — his opinion of that system, and of its insuf- 

 ficiency for any purpose but to meet the limited knowledge of 

 his age. He pointed out* to us how far it was a mere outline 

 of the material world, to be filled up as increasing information 

 would furnish the details, — how far it was a mere substitute for 

 that more ample view of nature, of which succeeding ages might 

 hope to obtain a glimpse. He saw, in fact, the promised land 



* We allude to those sketches of the vegetable kingdom, which, with the modesty 

 always attendant on true genius and information, Linnoeus styled " Fragments of a 

 Natural Method." In these the first glimpse is given of that improved mode of sym- 

 bolical representation by which we may hope, as knowledge increases, to communi- 

 cate with some degree of accuracy our ideas I'especting the groups of natine. The 

 deficiency perceptible in these " Fragments" is expressly stated to have originated 

 in the deficiency of materials, which more extensive knowledge would serve to sup- 

 ply; — "defectus nondum delectorum in causa fuit quod methodus naturalis deficiat, 

 quam plurium cognitio perficiet; natura enim non facit saltus." {Phil. Bol.) We 

 cannot give a more just description of the genuine merits of LinnKus with respect to 

 his views of arrangement, than by transcribing the words of the author of the " Ilora- 

 Entomologies," who, after stating that " he lionours the memory of that great man," not 

 on account of " his precision of description," nor of " liis learning in synonyms," nor of 

 " his having been a happy inventor of words,"- asserts, " that his glory is built on much 

 more stable foundations: for the man who first pointed out the distinction between the 

 natural method and an artificial system ; who first perceived the impossibility of giving 

 either accurate definitions or characters to natural groups; and who fiist remarked the 

 existence of intermediate genera between natural orders, must always be consideied as 

 one of the principal founders of our knowledge with respect to the natura! system, when- 

 soever this shall appear." — Hora Eitt. Pref. p. xx. 



before 



